Food Safety Modernization Act

There are thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands hospitalized each year do to foodborne illnesses. In January 2011, President Obama signed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This act was put into place primarily, so that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has the ability to recall food products. Previously, it was up to the food service company to make that recall. In addition, this act calls for conducting more inspections to facilities including foreign facilities, a closer inspection on imports, setting up prevention plans, knowing the science and risks that come along with processing, and respecting small farmers and their business. 

When it comes to food safety and keeping consumers away from at-risk situations, it is important to have a fast responding system. Since the Food Safety Modernization Act has been established, the Food and Drug Administration has the authority to recall products. This means that if the FDA asks a company to recall their product and they fail to do so, the FDA has the rights to step in and take actions. This new act also gives the FDA authority to suspend the registration of a facility if they feel that it is unfit for health standards. The act has also allowed the opportunity to set up a plan to trace the product from its original farm all the way to the consumer’s table to distinguish where the disease was contracted.

There are a few key points when it comes to prevention in the FSMA act. Food service facilities are required to apply preventative control plans that are written out. The Food and Drug Administration has to establish mandatory processing standards for the production and harvesting of fresh fruit and vegetables. The FDA also must protect against deliberate corruption of the food products. Along with the new prevention system comes the inspection system. A mandatory inspection of food service facilities is required more frequently than before, leaving slight room for poor facilities. This not only includes United States soil, it also includes foreign soil as well.  The Food and Drug Administration will also have access to all of the facilities records so they can document achievements and errors. A final note under prevention is that taste testing will be done in only accredited facilities, so testing will simply meet high quality standards.

Imported food is becoming more common in the United States than it has ever been before. Nowadays there is no such thing as hearing this fruit is not in season, so it cannot be purchased until the summer. Because of importing foods we are able to eat fresh fruit and vegetables year round. FSMA gives the FDA power to make sure foreign products be at United States standards.  It also ensures that food is only coming from certified, eligible food service facilities. This act gives the FDA authority to deny any foreign product. The Food Safety Modernization Act has improved relationships with communication on state and local levels along with the U.S. and foreign countries.  With the increase in communication all parties are producing better and safer food products. Ultimately, this act has been set to provide a safer and higher quality product for the consumer.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FSMA/ucm239907.htm